Ebbsfleet United will play local rivals Dartford in the FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Qualifying Round after the draw took place live on TalkSPORT this morning. The tie – Fleet’s third home game of the competition – will take place on Saturday, October 26th, kick-off 3.00pm.
Fleet’s tussles with Dartford down the years need no introducing, of course, and this will be the 11th FA Cup tie between the clubs -Fleet having won five, and Dartford three, the last being a 2-0 win for the Fleet in 2001. Our last meeting at Stonebridge Road was a 2-2 draw in the league on New Year’s Day.
Fleet manager Steve Brown told Radio Kent, “When Dartford get pulled out of the hat, you think what are the odds, they must be pretty slim? It’s a mouth-watering tie. From our perspective, being at home, and from the league below it’s a great tie. Maybe not so much from Tony Burman’s perspective. But it’s great for the media and supporters and I think there’ll be a huge crowd.”
His opposite number Tony Burman commented: “It’s great for supporters and for local rivalry. In the FA Cup it’s all about what happens on the day and it doesn’t come bigger than this at this stage for the two clubs.”
